'Like first aid for manuscripts': Recovery work begins at Gaza's war-damaged heritage sites

Palestinians are clearing rubble from archaeological sites, but restoration is hampered by Israeli restrictions on building materials.

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The broken stump of the distinctive octagonal minaret of the medieval Great Omari Mosque and a few external walls are all that remain after it was targeted by the Israeli military during two years of war against Hamas.

Since the US-brokered ceasefire began almost eight weeks ago, work has begun to clear and sort the stones, but actual restoration cannot yet start. Israel is not allowing building supplies to enter Gaza via the crossings, saying this is in line with the truce agreement.

"The challenges we face are first of all scarcity of resources - iron and construction materials," says Hosni al-Mazloum, an engineer from Riwaq, a Palestinian cultural heritage organisation. "Then we're using primitive tools... and being very careful because the stones here are 1,200 or 1,300 years old."

In her cramped office nearby in Gaza City, Hanin al-Amsi has an equally challenging task as she pores over fragments of rare ancient Islamic manuscripts which she has recovered from storage rooms at the Great Omari Mosque's 13th Century library.